Why should Castro Valley be a city?

Let us count the ways...

1. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HIGHER TAXES.

Alameda County has imposed taxes, assessments and user fees on its unincorporated areas because it can. While a city cannot raise taxes without the consent of its residents, a county can raise taxes on unincorporated areas by a vote of the entire county electorate. That is why we currently have a business license tax (approved by a majority of Alameda County voters, but only applying to unincorporated areas) and a Utility Users' Tax (ditto).

That is why Castro Valley will have a hotel tax, whether we like it or not. Supervisor Nate Miley has gone on record as saying that if Castro Valley does not vote to incorporate and collect its own hotel tax, the rest of the county will vote on whether we have such a tax. And where will this county tax money go? To Oakland, of course.

Miley has also promised that the Utility User's Tax (UUT), presently scheduled to expire in 2008, "is not going away." In other words, all county voters will renew it in 2008, but it will only apply to unincorporated areas. Castro Valley can only protect itself from an almost-guaranteed tax increase by incorporating and locking in today's rate for the future.

2. TO IMPROVE OUR PRESENT SERVICES.

Castro Valley's traffic patrol is provided by the California Highway Patrol. They do a fine job – when they are here. But Castro Valley is only a part of their beat. When an emergency occurs in Newark, Pleasanton, Oakland, or anywhere else in the county, all available CHP officers are called to the scene, often leaving no traffic enforcement at all for Castro Valley.

Castro Valley's law enforcement is provided by the Alameda County Sheriff's Department. They do a fine job – when they are here. But they, too, have responsibility for all of unincorporated Alameda County. If there is a shooting in unincorporated San Leandro or a robbery in unincorporated Hayward, these crime scenes take top priority.

Do you know your local law enforcement officers? Do you know the local watch commander? Do you know how often assignments change in a Sheriff's Department with thousands of deputies?

A police force of our own would put Castro Valley first in its priorities. We would know our chief, we would know the cop on the beat and we would know that Castro Valley's safety is the top concern of Castro Valley's police force.

3. TO CONTROL LAND USE AND MAINTAIN OUR RURAL FEELING.

Decades of having the county as an absentee landlord has resulted in a great deal of change in the look and feel of our community – and a good deal of this change has not been desirable. Our community has had very little "say-so" in its own development.

We have seen aggressive housing growth over the last 20 years, but have had no control over that growth. We have seen four houses built on a lot where one used to stand. Our precious open spaces are rapidly dwindling and only the City of Castro Valley can stop continued urban sprawl and unchecked "infill."

We have seen permits issued for every conceivable fast-food operation, but no attempt to bring quality businesses to town. We have watched helplessly as others made decisions for us over matters such as BART location, BART parking and the Southern Loop pipeline.

It's time to control our own future.

4. TO BE A "PLAYER" AT THE BARGAINING TABLE.

State and federal grant money is available to recognized entities (counties and cities) for a broad variety of purposes, including building post offices and other public buildings and improving public safety. Currently, we can't even apply for these grants.

Cities can bargain with other agencies. The Livermore-Amador Valley Municipal Authority (LAVMA) paid the City of Hayward $11 million for laying its waste-water pipeline through a portion of town. Castro Valley received $4 million.

The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) is not even resurfacing our streets after tearing them up to lay its Southern Loop Pipeline. We have no say in the matter.

Many residents felt the BART station was placed in the wrong location. We had no say in the matter.

One proposal for the Interstate 238 extension calls for it to come right through our neighborhoods. Currently, we have no say in the matter.

Let's be a player.

5. TO CONTROL OUR OWN DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT.

Downtown Castro Valley has been declared a "blighted area." This blight occurred during county management of our affairs.

Redevelopment funds are now coming available to begin to revitalize our downtown. If we incorporate, our own citizens will sit on our own redevelopment board. If we do not become a city, redevelopment planning, and the spending of redevelopment funds, will be managed by the County of Alameda – the same governmental agency which allowed the blight to develop.

Who knows Castro Valley's needs better than its citizens? Let's do our own planning.

6. TO ENSURE THAT CASTRO VALLEY TAX MONEY IS SPENT IN CASTRO VALLEY, AND NOT ALL OVER THE COUNTY.

7. TO HAVE LOCAL CONTROL OVER ROAD QUALITY AND TRAFFIC FLOW.

8. TO HAVE ONE-STOP SHOPPING FOR BUILDING PERMITS.

9. TO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED BY – AND ACCOUNTABLE TO – CASTRO VALLEY CITIZENS.

10. TO HAVE FIVE FULL CASTRO VALLEY COUNCILPERSONS, RATHER THAN ONE PARTIAL CASTRO VALLEY SUPERVISOR.

11. TO HAVE A GOVERNMENT WITH AUTHORITY TO WOO SUITABLE NEW BUSINESSES TO RELOCATE HERE.

12. TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM POSSIBLE FUTURE ENCROACHMENT BY SAN LEANDRO, HAYWARD, DUBLIN OR PLEASANTON.
 
 

Victor Hugo "There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come."--Victor Hugo

Reasons for Cityhood
Excerpts from the Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis
You have questions?  We have answers. (FAQ)
Alameda County LAFCo Fact Sheet